Direction signal for vehicles



b- 1938. F. COURTINADE I 2,107,104

DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES Filed June 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l llill fir cgps Feb. 1, 1938'. ,F. coURTmADE I 2,107,104

DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES Filed June 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ir'xld Frarwo Lls bazflc'nadc;

Patented Feb. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIRECTION SIGNAL ron VEHICLES Francois Courtinade, New York, N. Y. Application-June 10, 1936, Serial No. 84,551

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in signaling devices for indicating changes in the direction of movement in vehicles.

One object .of the invention is to provide a signaling device that will be rendered operative upon movement of the steering wheels of a vehicle out of their normal forward direction of travel. I

A further object is to provide a signaling device of the character described which is operable by means loosely engaging a structural portion of only one of the front or normal steering wheels of the, vehicle.

Another object is the provision of an audible signal which is rendered operable by-one of the front or steering wheels of a vehicle upon change in direction of travel of the front wheels.

More specifically, the invention contemplates an audible signaling device of the character described wherein the clapper for a gong is moved away from the gong by a trip member which is engaged and actuated by an extension on a slidable bar, which bar has a bifurcated end, with the bifurcations engaging a structural portion of the vehicle steering wheel at points fore and aft of the axle for said wheel, the clapper being forcibly returned against the gong by a spring, upon disengagement of said trip and the trip-actuating means.

A further'object of the invention is to provide means in the form of a cushion o-r pad for rendering the signal inoperative, said cushion or pad being adapted to be interposed between the clapper and gong to prevent the clapper impacting against the gong.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a prespective view of the housing for the signaling device, with the bifurcated end portion of the actuating bar projecting from the housing;

Fig. 2' is a top plan view illustrating the signaling device installed on the vehicle;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the housing of the signaling device, the plane of the View being indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fi 3;

Fig. -5 is a similar view on the line 5- -5 of v Fig. 3; V V

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely of the casing for the housing on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

. Fig. '7 is a detail elevational View of the trip member and its actuating element in the position these parts occupy at a point just immediately prior to their disengagement after the signal has been operated. I I

The major portion of the device is enclosed in a casing H] for protection against dust and other foreign matter andsaid casing has a base H by means of which the casing can be mountedupo-n the front axle l2 of the vehicle. Mounted within the casing is a gong l3 withwhich a clapper l4 cooperates, the clapper preferably being carried .on an arm having a flexible portion IS-and, a substantially rigid portion |6.---. Preferably the latter is pivoted on a shaft l1 and yieldingly urged toward the gong by a spring .I8,,movement of the clapper-toward the gong being limited by a stop H! which may be formed by a bracket mounted upon a block 20 within thecasing. The gong itself may also be mounted on the'block as by an arm 2|. Slidablymounted in a tubular member 22 secured inblocl; 20 by a set screw 23 is a bar or rod 24 which isyieldingly urged outwardly with respect to the casing by a spring 25 within the sleeve-like member 22. At the exterior of the casing the bar 24 is formed with a cross-piece 26 having extensions at its opposite ends adapted to engage a structural portionv of one of the wheels of the vehicle at points in front of and at the rear of the aXleof said wheel. These extensions, indicated at 21, 21 ,.are preferably formed spearately of the cross-piece 26, being formed with threaded ends adapted -to be screwed into sockets in cross-member 26. and locked therein by nuts 28.. Rotary movement of rod 24 in tubular member 22 may be prevented by a screw 29 and, if desired, an extension 30 carried by the cross-piece 26 of rod 24 and slidably engaging ina way in block 20,,may be provided.

Extending into the casing ID from extension 21* of cross-piece 26 is an arm 3| having a trip finger 32 provided at its inner end. Loosely mounted on shaft I1 is a trip member 33 having an arcuate portion 34 adapted to engage against the portion [6 of the arm carryingthe bell clapper I4. The trip 33 is yieldingly urged intoengagement with the clapper arm by a spring 35.

Inward motion of bar 24 and, therefore, extension 3|, will cause the trip finger 32 to engage 2. I against trip 33 and elevate the clapper H, but

immediately upon the trip finger 32 passing trip 33, it is apparent that the same will be released with the result that spring It! will cause the clap 7 33and actuates the gong, as previously described.

Thisis true regardless'of the'direotion in which the wheel of the vehicle is turned. When the wheel is returned to its normal direction of travel,

i. e., straight forward, bar 24 will be forcedouti wardly by spring 25 to return the extensions'fl, 21",into abutting engagement with the dust cover of the wheel. During this"return movement of bar 24, trip finger 32 is permitted to pass the trip member 33 byreason of the fact that the latter isloosely mountedon shaft l1 and is structurally separate and distinct from the'clapper arm. 7 In other words, it; is only necessary for the spring 35jto'beovercome to permit bar 24 to return to,

its normal position; -'It. will be 'understoodsthat after trip finger 32 has passed trip member '33, when being restored to'normal position,. spring 35fwi1l rturn the trip member to a position in which the ,arcuate 'portion 34' engages the clapper arm,.s o that the parts are positioned ready for the signal to be r course of the vehicle."

g As there maybe ni es when. it is desired to render the 'mechanism inoperative] a cushion or pad 3.l 'is provided; being 'carriedbya wire'38 which; extends to a point adjacent the drivers seat so that'it may'be operated by a pedal 39,

the'pedal ibein'gnormally'held in the position,

illustrated inFig; 3 ma spring '(not shown).

'When it is desired to render the signal in'operative, depression or pedal 39 will cause the pad or cushion to be projected to a position'where 'it will be interposed between the clapper 14' and gong l3, so that even'though the clapper may be "actuated, nevertheless the signal will jinotbe The gong mayhave any desired tone, but preferably one that will'serve as va""s uitable warning. The mechanism" is'simple and inexpensive and,

what is also important, may be readily. installed,

as it does not require anyconnection to the wheel 'or wheel structure. 1 It need only be mounted on the'axle of the" vehicle at a point wherethe extensions 21,11 willabut against ajstructural portion of the wheel;

What I claim is:: V

1. In a vehicle direction indicator, the combination of the steering wheels of the vehicle,

"an audiblesignal comprising a clapper and a gong, a slidablemember ior actuating said clapper, means abutting against but detached from one ofthe steering wheels of ,the,vehicle at points j fore andaft of theaxle of said wheel for impart.-

ing a sliding movementtosaid memberand connectio'ns between said member} and clapper for moving the latter away from the gong.

2. In a directiondndlcato'r, for 'vehicles, the combination'of the steering wheels of the vehicle, a signal, a housing, and reciprocatory means slid able in said housing and abutting against but detached from a" steering. wheel of the, vehicle for rendering said signal-operative, saidmeans epeated upon change in the V 2 means.

engaging said wheel at points fore and aft of c the axle of said wheel.

3. In a direction indicator for vehicles, the

combination of the. steering wheels of the vehicle,

a gong, a clapper yieldingly urged toward the gong, members abutting a structural portion of one of the vehicle steering wheels at points fore and aft of the axle for said'wheel, and means operable'by said members for moving said clapper away 'from thegong.

4. In a. direction indicator lfor 'vehicles, the combination of the steering wheels of the vehicle,

a .gong, a clapper, a shaft on which said clapper is loosely pivoted, means for yieldingly urging the clapper toward the gong, an arm for moving said -clapper away from the gong, and means for actuatingsaid arm comprising members engaging. a structural portion of one of the vehicle steering wheels at: points fore and aft of the wheel axle.

5. In a directionsignal for vehicles, thecombination of the: steering wheels of the vehicle, a gong, a clapper for said gongga shaft on which said clapper i'sloosel'y 'mounted, a pivotaally mounted 'arm movable in: one directiontor moving said clapper away' from the 'gong, and'imeans' engaging-one of the-vehicle steering wheels'and operable by change in direction of tr avelof said wheel for actuating said arm and clapper. "'s'.il

[6. In a direction signal for vehicles, the "combination of the steeringwh'eels of the-vehiclefia gong,ua shaft, a clapper 'forfthe gong, a ltripfor moving said clapper awayfrom thfgonggtaci- 'tuating means operated by a steering wheel and engageable with said trip for 'moving' 'said clapper "away from thegong, and means for-yieldingly forcing said clapper toward the-gong upon: dis;- engagement 'of "said ftrip. and. trip-actuating means. I

, 7. In aldirectionsignalifor'vehicles,the'icom-- bination oi'the steering wheels of the 'vehic1e,'a fgong, a pivotally mounted clapper, a trip for moving said clapper away Irom the gong, a slidfably mounted rod having a 'biiurcatediend'engaging'a structuralportion' of a steering wheel of the vehicle, means on said bar engageable with said trip for actuating the'same, and a springfor iorcingsa'id clapper toward thegong'up'on disengagement of said trip and trip-actuating 8. In a dlrection signal for vehicles, the com- V wo bination of the steering wheelsof the vehicle,;a Y

gong, a clapper for the gong, a trip member op- H erable for moving the clapper away fromxthe 'gong, 'tripactuating means engaging: one-of the steering wheels of the vehicle and movable-into engagement with said trip'upon change in" di-. rection' of travel of thewheel, and means for upon disengagement of said trip-actuating means from said trip member. 53

9. In a direction signal for vehicles th'e combination of the steeringwheels of the vehicle,

;a gong, aaclapper forthe gon a trip member xoperable' for moving the. clapper away from the gong; trip actuating means engaging one of the steering wheels of the vehicle and movable into engagement with said trip upon change in direction of travel of the wheel, means yieldinglyfo'rcing the clapper against the'gong upon disengagement of the trip. and its actuating means, acu'shioning member, and means for interposing, said 4 cushioning member between the clapper and gong. H V d H 10. In adirection signal for vehicles,jthe combination of the steering wheels of the vehicle;

yieldingly forcing the .clapper'against the gong a slidable bar having a bifurcated end, a support in which said slidable bar is mounted for rericprocatory movement, means for yieldingly urging the bifurcations of the bar against a structural portion of one of the vehicle steering wheels, said bifurcations engaging said wheel at points fore and aft of the center of rotation of the wheel, an audible signal, and means carried by said bar "for actuating said signal upon change in direction of travel of said vehicle wheel.

11. In a direction signal for vehicles, the combination of the steering wheels of the vehicle, a slidable rod having a bifurcated end, means for yieldingly urging the bifurcations of said rod against a structural portion of one of the vehicle wheels, said bifurcations engaging said wheels at points fore and aft of the center of rotation of said wheel, an audible signal comprising a gong and a clapper, a pivotally mounted bar on which said clapper is mounted, a trip member for rocking said bar and clapper away from the gong, a trip finger on said rod for moving said ,FRANQOIS COURTINADE. 

